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26 But (A)an angel of the [a]Lord spoke to (B)Philip saying, “Rise up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to (C)Gaza.” ([b]This is a desert road.) 27 So he rose up and went; and behold, (D)there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he (E)had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his [c]chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then (F)the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this [d]chariot.” 30 And Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

(G)As a sheep is led to slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 (H)In humiliation His judgment was taken away;
Who will [e]recount His [f]generation?
For His life is removed from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you earnestly, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” 35 Then Philip (I)opened his mouth, and (J)beginning from this Scripture he (K)proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 36 And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! (L)What prevents me from being baptized?” 37 [g][And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38 And he ordered the [h]chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, (M)the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, [i]but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip [j]found himself at [k](N)Azotus, and as he passed through he (O)kept proclaiming the gospel to all the cities until he came to (P)Caesarea.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:26 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Gen 16:7
  2. Acts 8:26 Or This city is deserted
  3. Acts 8:28 Or carriage
  4. Acts 8:29 Or carriage
  5. Acts 8:33 Or describe
  6. Acts 8:33 Or family, origin
  7. Acts 8:37 Early mss omit this v
  8. Acts 8:38 Or carriage
  9. Acts 8:39 Lit for he was going
  10. Acts 8:40 Or was found
  11. Acts 8:40 In OT, Ashdod

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[a] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert road. 27 And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Can′dace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless some one guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this:

“As a sheep led to the slaughter
or a lamb before its shearer is dumb,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken up from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus. 36 And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?”[b] 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azo′tus, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesare′a.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:26 Or at noon
  2. Acts 8:36 Other ancient authorities add all or most of verse 37, And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”